How to install mods, games, and texture packs

Install

  1. Open the mainmenu
  2. Go to the Content tab and click "Browse online content". If you don't see this, then you need to update Minetest to v5.
  3. Search for the package you want to install, and click "Install".
  4. When installing a mod, you may be shown a dialog about dependencies here. Make sure the base game dropdown box is correct, and then click "Install".
Screenshot of the content tab in minetest
1. Click Browser Online Content in the content tab.
Screenshot of the content tab in minetest
2. Search for the package and click "Install".

Troubleshooting:

  • I can't find it in the ContentDB dialog (Browse online content)
    • Make sure that you're on the latest version of Minetest.
    • Are you using Android? Packages with content warnings are hidden by default on android, you can show them by removing android_default from the contentdb_flag_blacklist setting.
    • Does the webpage show "Non-free" warnings? Non-free content is hidden by default from all clients, you can show them by removing nonfree from the contentdb_flag_blacklist setting.
  • It says "required dependencies could not be found"
    • Make sure you're using the correct "Base Game". A lot of packages only work with certain games, you can look at "Compatible Games" on the web page to see which.

Enable in Select Mods

  1. Mods: Enable the content using "Select Mods" when selecting a world.
  2. Games: choose a game when making a world.
  3. Texture packs: Content > Select pack > Click enable.
Screenshot of Select Mods in Minetest
Enable mods using the Select Mods dialog.

Installing using the command line

Git clone

  1. Install git
  2. Find the package on ContentDB and copy "source" link.
  3. Find the user data directory. In 5.4.0 and above, you can click "Open user data directory" in the Credits tab. Otherwise:
    • Windows: whereever you extracted or installed Minetest to.
    • Linux: usually ~/.minetest/
  4. Open or create the folder for the type of content (mods, games, or textures)
  5. Git clone there
  6. For mods, make sure to install any required dependencies.

Enable

  • Mods: Edit world.mt in the world's folder to contain load_file_MODNAME = true
  • Games: Use --game or edit game_id in world.mt.
  • Texture packs: change the texture_path setting to the texture pack absolute path.